Chapter 23
MAX
Did I sleep well? Not really. But it was better than sleeping on the hard floor, so I’ll be grateful for that.
I get everything put away in the bathroom and pull on a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. There are stacks of materials tucked into the corner of what will eventually be the kitchen, and I grab a sanding pole and start working on the walls.
The physical exertion is therapeutic and allows me to sort through the tangled thoughts in my head.
I keep asking myself why I’m still here. Why I haven’t gone back to New York.
Part of it is definitely because of the woman across the hall. She’s got spunk and determination to make things work. Conversation is easy, and the attraction has morphed into something more, which is surprising.
I’m also very invested in this project, which makes me not want to go home yet. I’m sure things are probably falling apart there. Or maybe they don’t need me for most of my work.
But I’ve never felt this calm before. It feels like my nervous system is finally out of fight-or-flight mode.
I’ve sanded most of the apartment by the time Talia arrives around eight.
“What are you doing?” she asks, taking in my dust-covered self.
Thank goodness there was a mask up here, so I didn’t have to inhale all the dust particles.
“I figured I’d help.”
She laughs. “You couldn’t sleep, huh?”
“Not well.” I shrug. “I thought I’d get things going so we can get actual furniture in here.”
“Yeah, I don’t think an air mattress counts as that,” Talia says dryly.
“I sanded all the walls.”
She looks impressed. “Perfect. That means we can start painting today. Are there certain colors you’re hoping for?”
“I’m guessing just white, right? So people can add whatever color they want once they’re living here.”
“Okay. I’ll head over to the hardware store and pick some up. If you want to help me paint, I’d appreciate it.”
I laugh. “Look at you asking for help.”
Her eyes widen. “We’ve known each other for a few days. I can ask for help if I trust the person I’m asking.”
“I appreciate that,” I say.
I dust off my shirt and hair before walking downstairs to the coffee shop.
Avery’s already behind the counter, and there are a couple of people waiting in line ahead of me.
The second she looks up and sees me in line, she grins.
It takes a few minutes before I make it to the front, and I’m smiling wider than I have in days.
“This line is great. I’m so happy to see this place coming to life.”
“We’ve already increased our customer base today. Not that that’s a huge number right now, but it’s something.”
“I’m glad to hear it.”
The hope on her face makes my stomach flip, and I try to tamp down the feelings budding there. Maybe the simple life really is drawing me in. Maybe it’s the relief of not having to run a multibillion-dollar company. Or the chance to choose things for myself.
But each day I get to know Avery more, I can see myself falling for her.
And I need to stop those thoughts because of the pressure waiting for me back home. It’s like I’ve been pushing off the panic for days, and now it’s all rushing back to me. I need to stop being a coward and contact my father. But then everything in this perfect bubble will disappear.
She fills my black coffee and asks, “What have you been doing this morning?”
“Well, I sanded down the walls in the apartment, and Talia and I are going to paint.”
There’s a flicker of something in her eyes before her smile turns overly bright.
“That’s great. It’ll be nice to get things moving for you. Have you already ordered the flooring?”
I groan. “Thank you for that reminder. I should probably ask Talia about it.”
She gives me a small smile. “Good luck today.” Then she turns to the person waiting behind me in line.
I don’t know why the conversation suddenly feels strange, but I take my coffee and head back upstairs.
Talia walks in a few minutes later, carrying several gallons of paint.
“I have to make a second run for the rest of the supplies,” she says.
“What part are you on in the other apartments upstairs?” I ask.
“We’re just waiting for the heating people to come put in the ducts, and then we can start Sheetrocking.”
“Did Mike come to do the plumbing already?”
She works to pry off the lid of one of the paint cans. “Yeah. He was here until late last night. I guess he finished it up. You didn’t hear him?”
“No, I was playing a game with Avery and her niece until later, and then I fell asleep quickly. But does Mike ever sleep?” It’s more of a rhetorical question, since I don’t expect her to know the habits of the town plumber.
Talia just shrugs while prepping the paint.
She hands me a roll of paper and tells me to start working on taping the bathroom.
“We don’t have to tape out here?” I ask, surprised by this approach.
“We’ll need to roll the paint on in the bathroom so we don’t get it all over the toilet and the tub, but as for the rest of the apartment, we can just do a couple of coats and not worry about getting it everywhere.
The flooring will cover everything below, and you want everything white, which helps cut down on the time of taping and changing colors. ”
I hadn’t thought of that.
We don’t say much, and honestly, it gives me too much time to think about my life.
I love it here, but do I love it enough to move here? Or is it just that I haven’t had a real vacation in so long that this place feels like paradise?
I finish the taping in the bathroom once she’s finished spraying the coat of primer on the rest of the apartment. I roll the primer on the bathroom walls, which takes another thirty minutes with a roller, but there’s pride in this much progress.
Talia has cleaned out the paint sprayer by the time I’m done.
“That wasn’t too bad. Thanks for helping me.”
I shrug, feeling a pleasant tiredness in my body that I haven’t experienced in a long time.
This is how I used to feel helping my grandfather work. It’s a different exhaustion—physical instead of mental.
Maybe I need something like this in my life more often. Otherwise, my body is going to deteriorate from sitting behind a desk all day.
“What do I need to do for the flooring?” I ask, remembering what Avery mentioned earlier.
“Frank has several samples in the hardware store. If you want to get it in quickly, try to pick something that he has in stock. Then for the others we can order in something to be delivered.”
“Sounds great. What do we need to do now?”
Talia moves a hand to tuck some stray pieces of hair behind her ear. “Let’s let the primer dry for a bit, and then we can start on the first coat of regular paint.”
She glances toward the door. “I’ve got to run and check on another project really quick, but I’ll be back in about two hours. Head down and look at the flooring.” She walks over and sets down her mask and the paint.
“What other project do you have?” I ask curiously.
“I have some furniture pieces I need to finish before people come pick them up tomorrow.”
She must see something on my face because she raises both hands reassuringly.
“Everything is lined up. The heating guys will finish tomorrow, and the Sheetrock crew will come right after that. I’m balancing this while working on my other projects.”
“That’s a lot.”
“It’s out of necessity,” she says quietly. “My dad has a lot of debts, and I’m trying to work through them one at a time.”
My chest tightens for her.
It just goes to show how much a difference listening can make. I’ve always tried to listen to my employees, especially after spending years not being heard by the people who were supposed to listen, care, and love me.
“That’s good to know,” I say. “And don’t worry. I trust you.”
She lets out a small laugh. “You look like you’re still waiting for the other shoe to drop.”
I blow out a breath. “I’m sorry if it feels that way. You’re doing a much better job than Rusty did.”
“That’s not the greatest compliment in the world,” Talia says, though she smiles a little. “But I guess it’s something when no one else would give me a chance.”
She waves goodbye and heads out the door.
I walk outside and start down the street, glancing toward the coffee shop as I leave. It’s closed, and I wonder where Avery is right now. She needs a few more signs and a great logo to help her business thrive.
I grin as I think about her stubbornness fading as she took down the reflective paper.
I can still feel her hand in mine, fitting perfectly like a puzzle piece. And for the first time in a long time, I want something that has nothing to do with business, expectations, or the Bauer name.
I want her.